Sinking our teeth into two 28 year old Laphroaigs
Laphroaig! Now that is a brand! The distinct green glass bottle, the bright white label, and iodine and seaweed on the palate. When we look at the sales of this Islay classic, there is only blue skies ahead. There is a firm grip on the number one spot as the most sold Islay single malt, and we won’t see that change anytime soon. In fact, if all goes well, Laphroaig is on the eve of a major expansion, growing with another 1.5 million litres of extra production when the work is done. It seems that Laphroaig is in safe hands with the honourable Japanese owner Suntory Global Spirits. Somewhere in the back of my head, I would have thought that owning two distilleries on the island would be a stretch. But together with Bowmore Suntory has a tight grip on two very distinctive brands, each with its own following.
For Laphroaig Day 2026 we taste two quite old expressions of this Islay single malt. Both are 28 years old, but one is a batch from Laphroaig itself, while the other is an unnamed and independently bottled series of bourbon barrels that were vatted together to one single cask.
Laphroaig 28 years old, bottled at 44,4 % abv
First things first: The cask makeup reads as a who is who of what Laphroaig has in the warehouse around the time this creation was vatted. The bottling from around the 1990 vintage contains Quarter Casks, Bourbon Barrels and Sherry Butts. This hotch potch of vessels received a final finish in sherry casks, probably to organise some harmony.
Upon Sipping: It needs some time to open up in the glass, but some brine and charcoal cannot be missed in the depths of my glass. Some damp earthen floor of a whisky warehouse. For a 28 years matured Laphroaig, this one does not exactly explode from the glass, which is a tad disappointing. Subtle smoke, but very faint. A sip then. Starts sweet but quickly develops to beautiful sour tones, cherries, strawberries from the cold ground (fresh!), a whole range of red fruit actually, but still a nice acidity predominant. The finish clearly lacks punch. Let’s see how this whisky speaks with water. A slightly sweet smoke now, like a cigar dipped in port and then lit. But very far away. The candy shop is now open, while the smoke quickly disappears (again). With the last sip I notice honey.
Word to the Wise: This Laphroaig is really struggling to offer something that makes me very enthusiastic. I tried this sample blind in my own band of whisky lovers club, and then scored it around 88 points. But now, tasting it again, I will take it down a notch of two. This is just not living up to the name, reputation and price tag.
Score: 86 points.
Unnamed Islay Malt 1992, 28 years old, bottled at 52,6 % abv by Signatory Vintage
First things first: This Unnamed Laphroaig matured in bourbon barrels but was bottled from one single vatting cask # 6775. Only 252 bottles were filled. Distilled on 19 November 1992 and bottled on 15 February 2021.
Upon Sipping: More expressive than the 28 years old above, with vanilla and bright peat, however subdued by almost three decades of maturing. Nice, yellow mint, sunflower oil, dry barley standing in the smoke of a nearby blaze. Lots of seabreeze coming from this one, like standing near the white washed buildings on the shoreline. It is a summer day. After breathing, this Unnamed Laphroaig 1992 turns distinctively more medicinal, with signature iodine that would make a Prohibition doctor smile from ear to ear. The iodine continues on the palate, where the whisky really grapples into your tongue with nasty teeth. A big lemon explosion is to follow, with the peat still surprisingly strong. This is true Laphroaig. Perhaps the only thing missing is a more fruity finish. It all remains very moody, grumpy almost. Yes, blame it on two of the seven dwarfs. With water however, more vegetal notes, with an abundance of gorge, some coconut. The taste does not significantly change, perhaps a tad friendlier with a drop of water. The finish has become more smoky.
Word to the Wise: Not the easiest Laphroaig I ever had, but generally rewarding. Still, I am missing some magic in these two 28 years old expressions I tasted today.
Score: 89 points.